Conference systems typically include mixers that mix and distribute media streams received from one or more active speakers participating in a conference. To mix and distribute media streams, mixers generally determine mixing priorities associated with the various speakers and, hence, streams that originate from the speakers. The energy level of the streams or media streams may be used to determine mixing priorities. By way of example, media streams associated with the loudest speakers and, hence, the highest energy levels, may be mixed at a higher priority than media streams associated with quieter speakers when the number of media streams that may be mixed is limited. Alternatively, the hierarchical ranking of the active speakers participating in a conference may be used to determine a mixing priority, e.g., a conference involving military participants in the field may prioritize media streams received from officers for mixing over media streams received from enlisted men.